By KHADIJAH SALACOP/CMU Intern
BEYOND the crown and the spotlight, Mutya ng Dabaw 2024 Hanna Maj Piccio is using her platform to help children discover possibilities beyond their circumstances, turning her advocacy into a growing movement that nurtures learning, confidence, and hope through community-based programs.
Speaking during PEP Talks on Friday, June 26, at SM Lanang Premier, Piccio shared the journey of Making New Dreamers, the non-government organization she formally established in 2024 after winning the Mutya ng Dabaw crown. What began as family-led book drives and storytelling sessions has since expanded into school caravans, anti-bullying campaigns, learning hubs, and skills workshops aimed at encouraging children to dream bigger and believe in their potential.
The organization has since grown into a broader volunteer effort, with Piccio saying it now has around 42 volunteers from different professions, including beauty queens, nurses, teachers, lawyers, and doctors.
Making New Dreamers has also established two learning hubs, including one in Carmen, Baguio District, where children have access to books, educational materials, tutorial sessions, and creative workshops. The organization also runs Dream Camp, which develops not only children but also volunteers who support its mission.
At the center of its current efforts is the Dream Big Workshop, now on its second cycle, in partnership with Padre Pio’s Home for Children in Tugbok. According to Piccio, the five-week Saturday program introduces children to reading exercises, visual arts, hygiene, first aid, dancing, singing, and hosting to help them develop practical skills and self-confidence.
The workshop will culminate in the Dream Big Shine Bright Recital on July 4 at 2 p.m. at the Holy Cross Davao College Theater, where the children will showcase what they have learned. Piccio said the recital is among the organization’s biggest activities this year and appealed for sponsors and donors to help sustain the NGO’s programs and continue reaching more children.
During the question-and-answer session, Piccio shared that her advocacy was deeply influenced by her own childhood experiences. She recalled being bullied as a young girl and finding confidence through summer workshops in singing, dancing, and the arts, experiences that taught her to value herself for what she could do rather than how she looked.
Those experiences, she said, shaped both her body-positivity advocacy and her commitment to creating safe spaces where children can learn, express themselves creatively, and grow with confidence instead of being overwhelmed by insecurities and excessive social media exposure.
She also stressed that Making New Dreamers continues to prioritize reading, storytelling, and hands-on learning, believing that strong foundations are built through real-world experiences rather than dependence on technology.
Although Making New Dreamers was formally established only in 2024, Piccio said the advocacy had long been part of her family’s outreach work. Through the organization, she hopes to help children realize their potential, discover new dreams, and eventually become individuals who will inspire and uplift others in their own communities.
